Department for Transport

Migrant Workers: Transport

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address any potential staff shortages in (1) the road haulage, and (2) the bus transportation sectors, resulting from immigration removals.

baroness vere of norbiton: All employers in the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal working by conducting simple right to work checks before they employ someone, to ensure the individual is not disqualified from working by reason of their immigration status. The EU Settlement Scheme allows EU citizens to apply to continue to live and work in the UK after 30 June 2021. Applications are free of charge and require the completion of three steps: proving their identity, showing that they live in the UK and declaring any criminal convictions. We therefore do not expect immigration removals to have an impact on transport.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Budget 2020’s commitments on electronic vehicle charging infrastructure and consumer incentives for ultra-low emission vehicles, what assessment they have made of the likely annual reduction in overall domestic transport emissions.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Budget 2020 commitments are an integral part of our strategy for decarbonising road transport. The commitments are a key part of a package of measures that will enable a mass transition to zero emission vehicles and see the carbon emissions from road transport reduce between now and 2050. The benefits of this funding from a climate change perspective go considerably further than the direct emissions savings generated by the resulting higher short-term uptake of zero emission vehicles.

Ports

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the preparedness of UK ports of entry to facilitate international trade after the transition period.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government has confirmed that it plans to introduce full import controls on EU goods at the border after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. That will involve the need for customs declarations and will mean that goods are newly subject to checks. Her Majesty’s Government is continuing to engage with ports, airports and other stakeholders at key border locations to understand local constraints and opportunities and how best to support planning for operational readiness. In September 2019, the Department also announced that 16 ports would receive a share of £10 million in order to improve port resilience.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Manufacturing Industries

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to encourage businesses to manufacture goods and components and source supplies in the UK.

lord callanan: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 March 2020.The correct answer should have been:

The UK’s manufacturing sector plays a vital role in the UK economy through driving innovation, exports, job creation and productivity growth. The Government is taking steps to help drive increased competitiveness in UK manufacturing to anchor investment and production. This includes, increasing the Annual Investment Allowance to £1m until the end of this year to help manufacturers make the investments in capital equipment that can support their increased competitiveness;and investing £26m over three years to support aerospace and automotive supply chains through the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels programme. We are also helping UK manufacturers build on their strengths in innovation. Through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, we have invested £2.5 billion to drive cutting-edge research and innovation, from world-leading battery design to new light-weight composite materials. We are investing up to £167m into Made Smarter, the UK’s national industrial digitalisation programme, to boost manufacturing productivity through the development and adoption of cutting-edge digital technology. Furthermore, the 2020 Budget announced the UK’s largest and fastest expansion of support for R&D across the economy, with spending set to reach £22bn by 2024/2025 and businesses receiving an increase in R&D tax credit from 12% to 13%. To help ensure this investment in research and innovation also helps anchor production in the UK, we have invested over £350m in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network to support the commercialisation of new manufacturing technologies, and we will be investing £600m more by the end of 2023. However, in these difficult and unprecedented times of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government is doing everything it can to tackle the pandemic; to mitigate its impacts and protect jobs so that manufacturers can continue to provide essential goods and services. An unprecedented package of support has been announced for business and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the coronavirus. The Government has made available an initial £330 billion of loans and guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP to support firms and help them manage cashflows through this period. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), delivered by the British Business Bank, went live on 23 March 2020 and will support smaller businesses, including unincorporated businesses such as partnerships and sole traders. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria has been published here on the British Business Bank's website:www.british-business-bank.co.uk/cbils. The UK’s manufacturing sector plays a vital role in the UK economy by driving innovation, exports, job creation, and productivity. The Government is taking steps to help drive increased competitiveness in UK manufacturing to anchor investment and production. This includes: Increasing the Annual Investment Allowance to £1 million until the end of this year. This will help manufacturers make the investments in capital equipment that can support their increased competitiveness.Investing £26 million over 3 years to support aerospace and automotive supply chains through the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels programme. Through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, we have invested £2.5 billion to drive cutting-edge research and innovation, from world-leading battery design to new light-weight composite materials. We are investing up to £167 million into Made Smarter, the UK’s national industrial digitalisation programme, to boost manufacturing productivity through the development and adoption of cutting-edge digital technology. Furthermore, the Chancellor announced at the 2020 Budget the UK’s largest and fastest expansion of support for research and development (R&D) across the economy. Spending is set to reach £22 billion by 2024/2025 and businesses will receive an increase in R&D tax credit from 12% to 13%. To ensure this investment in R&D also helps anchor production in the UK, we have invested over £350 million in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network to support the commercialisation of new manufacturing technologies. We will be investing a further £600 million by the end of 2023. It is worth noting that in these difficult and unprecedented times, caused by the Coronavirus outbreak, we are focusing all efforts on tackling the pandemic. This includes mitigating its impacts by protecting jobs, so manufacturers can continue to provide essential goods and services. An unprecedented package of support has been announced for businesses and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the Coronavirus. The Government has made an initial £330 billion of loans and guarantees available, which is equivalent to 15% of UK GDP, to support firms and help them manage cashflows through this period. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, went live on 23 March. It will support smaller businesses, including unincorporated businesses such as partnerships and sole traders. Full guidance and eligibility criteria can be found at: www.british-business-bank.co.uk/cbils.

lord callanan: The UK’s manufacturing sector plays a vital role in the UK economy through driving innovation, exports, job creation and productivity growth. The Government is taking steps to help drive increased competitiveness in UK manufacturing to anchor investment and production. This includes, increasing the Annual Investment Allowance to £1m until the end of this year to help manufacturers make the investments in capital equipment that can support their increased competitiveness;and investing £26m over three years to support aerospace and automotive supply chains through the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels programme. We are also helping UK manufacturers build on their strengths in innovation. Through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, we have invested £2.5 billion to drive cutting-edge research and innovation, from world-leading battery design to new light-weight composite materials. We are investing up to £167m into Made Smarter, the UK’s national industrial digitalisation programme, to boost manufacturing productivity through the development and adoption of cutting-edge digital technology. Furthermore, the 2020 Budget announced the UK’s largest and fastest expansion of support for R&D across the economy, with spending set to reach £22bn by 2024/2025 and businesses receiving an increase in R&D tax credit from 12% to 13%. To help ensure this investment in research and innovation also helps anchor production in the UK, we have invested over £350m in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network to support the commercialisation of new manufacturing technologies, and we will be investing £600m more by the end of 2023. However, in these difficult and unprecedented times of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government is doing everything it can to tackle the pandemic; to mitigate its impacts and protect jobs so that manufacturers can continue to provide essential goods and services. An unprecedented package of support has been announced for business and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the coronavirus. The Government has made available an initial £330 billion of loans and guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP to support firms and help them manage cashflows through this period. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), delivered by the British Business Bank, went live on 23 March 2020 and will support smaller businesses, including unincorporated businesses such as partnerships and sole traders. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria has been published here on the British Business Bank's website:www.british-business-bank.co.uk/cbils. The UK’s manufacturing sector plays a vital role in the UK economy by driving innovation, exports, job creation, and productivity. The Government is taking steps to help drive increased competitiveness in UK manufacturing to anchor investment and production. This includes: Increasing the Annual Investment Allowance to £1 million until the end of this year. This will help manufacturers make the investments in capital equipment that can support their increased competitiveness.Investing £26 million over 3 years to support aerospace and automotive supply chains through the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels programme. Through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, we have invested £2.5 billion to drive cutting-edge research and innovation, from world-leading battery design to new light-weight composite materials. We are investing up to £167 million into Made Smarter, the UK’s national industrial digitalisation programme, to boost manufacturing productivity through the development and adoption of cutting-edge digital technology. Furthermore, the Chancellor announced at the 2020 Budget the UK’s largest and fastest expansion of support for research and development (R&D) across the economy. Spending is set to reach £22 billion by 2024/2025 and businesses will receive an increase in R&D tax credit from 12% to 13%. To ensure this investment in R&D also helps anchor production in the UK, we have invested over £350 million in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network to support the commercialisation of new manufacturing technologies. We will be investing a further £600 million by the end of 2023. It is worth noting that in these difficult and unprecedented times, caused by the Coronavirus outbreak, we are focusing all efforts on tackling the pandemic. This includes mitigating its impacts by protecting jobs, so manufacturers can continue to provide essential goods and services. An unprecedented package of support has been announced for businesses and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the Coronavirus. The Government has made an initial £330 billion of loans and guarantees available, which is equivalent to 15% of UK GDP, to support firms and help them manage cashflows through this period. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, went live on 23 March. It will support smaller businesses, including unincorporated businesses such as partnerships and sole traders. Full guidance and eligibility criteria can be found at: www.british-business-bank.co.uk/cbils.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sudan: Sanctions

lord lansley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what multilateral discussions they have had about lifting or easing economic sanctions on Sudan.

baroness sugg: Sudan is not subject to multilateral economic sanctions. The multilateral sanctions in force are those by the UN and EU focused on Darfur, covering arms embargoes and targets sanctions on individuals associated with human rights abuses. The US lifted bilateral economic sanctions on Sudan in October 2017. Sudan does however remain on the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. The UK is working with the Government of Sudan and international partners to help address Sudan's severe economic challenges as an important part of supporting the transition to democracy agreed in 2019.

Gibraltar: Coronavirus

lord chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Gibraltar in dealing with COVID-19; and in particular, whether they are providing advice and access to medical supplies to the government of Gibraltar.

baroness sugg: The British Government is working closely with the Overseas Territories, including Gibraltar, to ensure they receive the help that is necessary. This includes procuring medical equipment and support for Gibraltar immediately, including through Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA), and standing by Gibraltar in the long run as it deals with the impacts of this pandemic.

Northern Ireland Office

Cross Border Cooperation: Northern Ireland

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) people living in Northern Ireland will be able to access blood transfusions, health treatment and educational provision in the Republic of Ireland, and (2) people living in the Republic of Ireland will be able to access blood transfusions, health treatment and educational provision in Northern Ireland, after December 2020.

viscount younger of leckie: The Government has been clear in its commitment to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its parts, including formal North-South cooperation. Health and education are two of the areas of cooperation. In accordance with the 8 May 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Irish Governments, the reciprocal rights for British and Irish citizens associated with the Common Travel Area will continue after December 2020. These arrangements include access to healthcare services and education.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Death

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that where a person dies of COVID-19 due to an underlying health issue some details of the health issue are made public.

lord bethell: Death data in relation to COVID-19 is collected as part of current enhanced surveillance measures. Where information on underlying conditions is available, this will be analysed and presented in aggregate form in due course.

Nutrition

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards they haveput in placeto ensure that protein fermentation products(1) provide good nutritional value, and (2) do not add to existing dietary and food standards concerns.

lord bethell: Sweetened fermented (yogurt) drinks, yogurts and fromage frais contribute to sugar intakes and are included in the sugar reduction programme, which is part of the Government’s childhood obesity plan. A copy of Fermented (yogurt) drinks: A supplementary report to the sugar reduction guidelines, outlining the drinks included and the guidelines set is attached.All sectors of the food and drink industry have been challenged to reduce the amount of sugar in these products by 20% by 2022. Industry’s progress will be monitored and the first report on progress is expected this year.All food and drink products sold in the United Kingdom are covered by the Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Information Regulation, which ensures that products meet certain standards and are appropriately labelled.



Fermented_yogurt_drinks
(PDF Document, 420.48 KB)

Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to use artificial intelligence to analyse lung scans to help diagnose COVID-19.

lord bethell: There are no current plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse lung scans to diagnose COVID-19.Most individuals who may contract the virus will not have a chest scan unless they have pre-existing conditions.NHSX has rapidly established a data and AI team to investigate ways to use artificial intelligence and data to:- Inform the public and decision makers by providing up to date information and allowing analysis;- Model the spread of the disease and the impact on interventions using novel data sources;- Track resources across the medical system to support the efficiency of the response; and- Help communities to help themselves.

Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to use virtual reality technology in NHS hospitals to train staff to identify signs of COVID-19.

lord bethell: COVID-19 appears to present with symptoms identical to seasonal flu. We are using symptomatic criteria of new persistent cough, and temperature raised for more than half a day, to identify patients likely to have COVID-19. We do not currently have plans to use a virtual reality training tool for its recognition.

Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of Google DeepMind'spredictions on the future development of COVID-19's protein structure.

lord bethell: We have not made any assessment of Google Deepmind’s predictions on the future development of COVID-19 protein structure.

Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of checking passengers temperatures at airports to counter the spread of COVID-19.

lord bethell: Our experts made an early assessment that stopping flights and screening at airports would not make a significant difference as the effect on delaying the peak of the outbreak would be minimal.

Department of Health and Social Care: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) staff, and (2) ministers, at the Department of Health and Social Care have been tested for COVID-19.

lord bethell: The Department does not discuss specific and personal details around individuals tested for COVID-19. The Department’s staff are advised to follow Public Health England advice to stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms and use the NHS 111 online COVID-19 service if their symptoms persist beyond seven days.

Prime Minister: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff in Number 10 Downing Street have been tested for COVID-19.

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Government ministers have been tested for COVID-19.

lord bethell: As of 9am on 16 March 2020, a total of 44,105 people have been tested in the United Kingdom. These numbers are updated and published daily. Information on patient specifics is not collected centrally.

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Sussex

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount that (1) Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group, and (2) Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, are predicted to overspend in the 2019–20 financial year.

lord bethell: The latest National Health Service financial forecasts show NHS Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is forecasting a deficit of approximately £13 million and NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG is forecasting a deficit of approximately £33.5 million. These figures include receipt of Commissioner Sustainability Funding.

Coronavirus: Social Services

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional fundingthey plan to provide to Clinical Commissioning Groupsand social services to enable frontier workers who arepersonal assistants or carers for disabled people, including those in receipt of continuing health care funding, to remain in this country between shifts in order to not deplete the social care workforce.

lord bethell: We are working closely across Government with local authorities and providers to make sure the adult social care sector is prepared and able to respond to COVID-19. Local authorities, clinical commissioning groups and providers should have appropriate arrangements in place to manage their workforce. We expect them to work together to make sure that our valued social care staff, including frontier workers, can continue working wherever possible. There is a £5 billion contingency fund to support the National Health Service and local authorities to meet the additional costs they will face, and to ensure they can maintain adult social care provision, given the additional pressures on the sector caused by COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Pneumonia

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports about the effectiveness of chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia.

lord bethell: The Department is considering carefully all available evidence around the potential of different medicines for use in treating COVID-19.Clinical trials are being developed to assess the benefits of a number of different medicines in treating COVID-19. Further medicines may be trialled should evidence indicate to the Department that this would be an appropriate course of action.

Social Services: Vacancies

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to raise awareness of vacancies in the care sector resulting from COVID-19-related international travel restrictions; and the opportunities that this may provide people who will be made redundant during the pandemic.

lord bethell: We are working closely across Government with local authorities and providers to make sure the adult social care sector is prepared and able to respond to COVID-19. We know that the adult social care sector will need to recruit more people to ensure it can operate at maximum capacity, both to fill existing vacancies, but also to ensure there is sufficient cover for those in the workforce who will need to self-isolate because they are unwell, or who need to undertake more stringent social distancing measures because they are in a high risk group. We are planning to adapt our current national recruitment campaign ‘When you care, every day makes a difference’ for the current context, while continuing to highlight opportunities for career development and progression.

Coronavirus: Interferon Alfa 2B

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Interferon Alfa 2B may be effective in treating COVID-19.

lord bethell: The Department is considering carefully all available evidence around the potential of different medicines for use in treating COVID-19.Clinical trials are being developed to assess the benefits of a number of different medicines in treating COVID-19. Further medicines may be trialled should evidence indicate to the Department that this would be an appropriate course of action.

Coronavirus: Drugs

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to result in any medicine shortages.

lord bethell: The country is well prepared to deal with any impacts of COVID-19 and we have stockpiles of generic drugs, in the event of any supply issues or significant increases in demand.The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.The steps being taken to protect United Kingdom supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak were set out in the Department’s press statement issued on 11 February 2020. These steps include asking suppliers to carry out risk assessments of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on their business and to retain any existing stockpiles of medical supplies from our previous European Union exit work. The statement also outlines that there is no need for the public or NHS to stockpile as this could aggravate problems elsewhere in the supply chain if they emerge.

Department for International Development

Nigeria: Humanitarian Aid

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the statement in the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 March (HL1991) that "the UK does not currently provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states" and further to violence in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, southern Kaduna and Bauchi since 2015, what plans they have to provide humanitarian assistance in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.

baroness sugg: UK humanitarian assistance is provided based on lifesaving need and supports the United Nations-led Humanitarian Response Plan which focuses on the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe which have been impacted by a non-international armed conflict. However, wider DFID work operates across Nigeria to improve healthcare, education and economic development outcomes, such as the PropCom Mai-Kalfi programme which, among its other objectives, seeks to provide sustainable livelihoods for women and families through poultry vaccinations and the introduction of climate conscious improved cookstoves, which reduces the production of harmful toxic smoke.

Nigeria: Internally Displaced People

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to protect civilians displaced by conflict in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.

baroness sugg: The Middle Belt of Nigeria, as with many other parts of the country, sees competition over land and water, which frequently leads to conflict. The UK monitors this situation closely and has strong reporting mechanisms. DFID responds as and when intervention is required. We have a broad range of programmes across the country, aimed at supporting the most vulnerable people in Nigerian society – this includes economic development and livelihoods support, and work to improve health and education service outcomes. We regularly publish updates on our programmes on DevTracker. These updates can be found here – https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/countries/NG/.

Department for International Development: Civil Servants

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, changes there have been to the reporting mechanisms for civil servants within the Department for International Development this year.

baroness sugg: The Prime Minister appointed a separate DFID Secretary of State in the most recent reshuffle.DFID ministers retain authority over DFID decisions on aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remain within existing departmental lines. Any line management arrangement will reflect this.

Overseas Aid

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, change there has been to the proportion of UKOfficial Development Assistance spent by (1) the Department for International Development, and (2) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in country offices over the last 12 months.

baroness sugg: Between 2017 and 2018, the latest year for which these figures are available, the Department for International Development’s (DFID) country-specific Official Development Assistance (ODA) share of total DFID ODA decreased by 5.9 percentage points from 39.2% to 33.3%. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) country specific ODA share decreased by 1.1 percentage points over the same time period, from 34.5% to 33.4% (see table below). DFID and FCO Country-Specific ODA as a proportion of total ODA millions 2017 2018 DFIDFCO DFIDFCOTotal Single Country Specific ODA3,961216 3,630212% of Total ODA39.2%34.5% 33.3%33.4%Total ODA10,104627 10,897633Source: Statistics on International Development: Final UK Aid Spend 2018.Other ODA spend can be separated into two groups: (i) ODA spend that benefits a region or a group of developing countries e.g. centrally-funded research and (ii) core contributions to ODA-eligible Multilaterals, such as the Food and Agricultural Organisation.As DFID and FCO share of ODA has reduced, ODA spent by other departments has increased. All ODA is subject to the same rules, set in legislation and by the OECD DAC.

Department for Education

Universities: Antisemitism

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether universities in England and Wales (1) have breached the public sector equality duty, and (2) are compliant with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, by permitting Israeli Apartheid Week activities to take place on their campuses.

baroness berridge: There is no place in our society - including within higher education (HE) – for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism, including antisemitism. The government will continue to work with universities to ensure we stamp out antisemitism in all its forms. The government expects HE providers to take their responsibilities, including those under the Equality Act 2010 (including the Public Sector Equality Duty) and to promote freedom of speech, seriously. We expect HE providers to have robust policies and procedures in place to meet, and balance, their legal obligations effectively and to investigate and swiftly address reports of hate crime, including any antisemitic incidents that are reported. We expect HE providers to have clearly set out procedures and policies for events and the hosting of external speakers, which allow for open, transparent events, challenge and debate and ensure that lawful speech can occur on campuses. Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, HE providers have a legal duty to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for their members, students, employees of the establishment and visiting speakers. In relation to events occurring under the banner of Israeli Apartheid Week, it is crucial that HE providers handle these appropriately, taking into account their legal obligations to ensure that our values, expectations and laws are upheld. The government strongly encourages HE providers to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It is an important tool in tackling antisemitism and a strong signal that HE providers take these issues seriously.

Children: Female Genital Mutilation

baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of instances of taking children into care under safeguarding law in relation to female genital mutilation (FGM) (1) before, during and after a prosecution for FGM, irrespective of the outcome of the investigation and prosecution, and (2) in cases when family members are willing and able to take responsibility for them.

baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of instances of taking children into care under safeguarding law in relation to female genital mutilation (FGM) only on the basis of risk factors, such as the fact that the child’s mother had been subject to FGM, without direct evidence that the child is going to be subjected to FGM.

baroness berridge: This information is not held centrally. Data on children being taken into care does not identify the cases where female genital mutilation (FGM) was the reason for the child going into care.FGM is child abuse and it is illegal. The government is determined to eradicate FGM here and abroad and it cannot be condoned or ignored on the basis of it being a 'cultural tradition'. Services should safeguard children from this abuse as from any other form of abuse. The statement of the knowledge and skills required by child and family social workers includes that they should be able to take account of harmful practices in specific communities such as female genital mutilation.

Pupils: Absenteeism

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have not attended school for two or more years.

baroness berridge: The information requested is not held centrally as the Department only collects data on pupils on roll at an educational establishment.

Children in Care: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of Irish Traveller and Gypsy and Roma children being looked after in care rising from 50 in total in 2009 to 540 in total in 2019; and what data they hold about (1) the reasons for referrals of such children, (2) the agencies making such referrals, and (3) whether such children have had prior contact with social care departments.

baroness berridge: Working Together to Safeguard Children is clear that local areas should have a comprehensive range of effective, evidence-based services in place to address assessed needs. Local authorities have the freedom to decide these services based on local priorities and the needs of families in their area.The department holds data on children who are looked after (CLA) by primary category of need, which is the main reason the child is looked after, but not necessarily the sole reason. More detail on the reason for referrals children to social services will have been obtained at the point of referral and assessment and this data is collected in the Children in Need (CIN) census. Information on 2) the agencies making referrals and on 3) whether children have had prior contact with social care departments is also collected within the CIN census.The information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Due to the way in which the data is held, the department would not be able to provide the detailed information on 1) above and the information requested for 2) and 3) above without exceeding the cost threshold applicable to central government. In order to provide the required data, we would need to create new datasets and methodologies for matching CIN assessment data to CLA data.

Pupils: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Traveller MovementBarriers in education—young Travellers in London, in particular of its findings that (1) 40 per cent of Traveller students experienced bullying by other pupils, and (2) 67 per cent of such students experienced bullying by teachers.

baroness berridge: We welcome the report by the Traveller Movement, along with their contribution through the Department for Education’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller stakeholder group, and recognise the issues the report raises.Bullying of any kind, including that based on anti-Gypsyism, is unacceptable in any setting – the government is committed to eradicating it. Every young person deserves the opportunity to progress and fulfil their potential, regardless of their ethnic background, and to do so in an environment free from fear, prejudice or hate.All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. A culture of good behaviour in school is critical to enabling pupils to fulfil their potential. We are continuing to support schools to create disciplined and safe environments.Under the Equalities Act 2010, schools are under a duty take steps to eliminate harassment, foster good relations, and advance equality of opportunity. Ofsted looks at how a school complies with its statutory duties and promotes equality of opportunity, and holds schools to account for anti-Gypsyism or other behaviour issues.

Ministry of Justice

Sexual Offences: Compensation

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theWritten Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 13 March (HL2225), what is their policy on limiting the discretion of courts to refuse to make a compensation order on the basis of the behaviour of the victim; and what information theyhold on the percentage of cases in which compensation was refused for such reasons in the last year for which figures are available.

lord keen of elie: Under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, courts are required to consider making a compensation order in cases involving personal injury, loss or damage, and to give reasons where no such order is made. There are no current plans to amend the court’s powers in respect of compensation orders.Sentencing in individual cases is entirely a matter for the independent courts taking into account the circumstances of the case.The Ministry of Justice has published information on convictions and sentencing up to December 2018, which is available in the ‘Outcomes by Offence data tool’, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsxInformation on the sentencing considerations for individual cases is not held centrally and would require a manual search of court records which would be of disproportionate cost.

Department for International Trade

Quintessentially

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether contracts between Quintissentially and (1) the Department for International Trade, and (2) any other Government department or agency, required details of the people who received goods and services under the contracts; and whether any goods or services were specifically excluded from those contracts.

viscount younger of leckie: The Department for International Trade always requires the details of the people receiving the goods and services delivered through the Quintessentially contract. The goods and services supplied under the contract are provided in the contract schedule which are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts Finder is a Government website which is used for the publication of contract opportunities and contract awards. It is Government policy to publish all contracts over £10,000 further details of Contracts Finder and of the Quintessentially contract may be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice0ccf6274-6878-4ad0a106-94a723595cbb.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Qari Asim

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist on 9 March (HL2003) and the remarks by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 13 February (HL Deb, col 2339), what assessment, if any, they have made of Imam Qari Asim’s views on freedom of speech, as reported in The Times on 9 February; and of any impact such views may have on his role as an independent adviser to the Government.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right and one which must be upheld and defended. Equally, freedom of speech is the foundation of a healthy society, allowing for debate and disagreement, underpinned by those values that bind people together – tolerance, equality and fairness. It is important that all have the right to speak freely, and provide legitimate criticism, and that a strong legal framework provides the appropriate space to do so. The Government will continue to protect people’s legitimate rights and freedoms whilst also remaining committed to tackling hate crime. We are confident that all our advisers uphold high standards and strongly advocate British values.

Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to provide COVID-19-related treatment and support to people sleeping rough.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, to increase funding to organisations working with people who are homeless.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Government recognises the challenges faced by those who are homeless or sleeping rough during the Covid-19 outbreak. We are working closely with local authorities and the sector to minimise the risk for vulnerable people and those currently unable to self-isolate.As an initial first step we have announced £3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities to help rough sleepers and those at risk of sleeping rough to self-isolate. This funding will assist local authorities with providing accommodation and support to vulnerable people who are at risk of, or who have been diagnosed with, Covid-19. Further details of this fund can be found at gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/3-2-million-emergency-support-for-rough-sleepers-during-coronavirus-outbreakAdditional funding of £1.6 billion will go to local authorities to enable them to respond to other Covid-19 pressures, including increasing support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people.

Ministry of Defence

International Science and Technology Centre

lord browne of ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to affirm their commitment to the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC); and what consideration they have given to the UK’s future membership of the ISTC as a state party.

baroness goldie: The Government recognises that the ISTC has played a valuable role in preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction-related scientific and technical expertise from former Soviet programmes, and mitigating broader chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks. However, HMG currently funds only a small number of projects through the ISTC. After careful consideration, we have therefore concluded that the recent and currently anticipated level of UK engagement with the ISTC would not warrant the expected costs of future UK membership of the ISTC as a Funding Party. The UK will continue to play a leading international role in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related expertise, and mitigating CBRN risks, including funding projects through the ISTC, where appropriate.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Citizens' Juries

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether participants in the Innovation in Democracy Project who are in receipt of Universal Credit, or other means-tested support, are eligible to receive payment.

baroness stedman-scott: The Department of Culture Media and Sport is the lead government department responsible for the Innovation in Democracy Programme. Participants in the citizens' assemblies, run as part of the Innovation in Democracy Programme, receive £75 per day to thank them for participating, which totals £300 for the four days of the citizens assembly. In addition, participants are reimbursed for costs of travel, childcare and other caring costs. Participants in receipt of means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, should report any income received through the Innovation in Democracy Programme to the Department. Awards of Universal Credit are calculated on the basis of the set benefit rate against money coming in to ensure fairness of treatment for all claimants against the money that they have earned. This means, as earnings increase, Universal Credit is gradually reduced in a predictable way. In households where a work allowance applies, only earnings above the work allowance are taken into account, and a single taper of 63 per cent per £1 is applied as earnings rise. Monthly assessment periods allow Universal Credit to be adjusted each month so if a claimant’s income falls or rises, they will not have to wait several months for a change in their Universal Credit. Those people claiming Universal Credit, or other means-tested support, should seek advice from the Department before agreeing to receive money for involvement in the citizens' assembly to understand how it will affect their benefit entitlement. There is an option to attend the Citizen’s Assembly without payment.

Social Security

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet the ministers with responsibility for welfare reform and benefit administration from the devolved nations.

baroness stedman-scott: Welfare reform, social security and benefit administration are reserved matters in England and Wales, transferred matters in Northern Ireland, and partially devolved in Scotland. With respect to Scotland, the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare is a regular forum that allows the UK and Scottish Ministers to oversee the safe and secure transfer of the powers devolved through the Scotland Act 2016 that relate to social security and employability. It is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, and attended by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Discussions with Ministers in the Welsh Government take place on a more ad hoc basis, and focus largely on devolved areas relating to employability such as skills provision, but also to interactions between devolved matters and the social security system. The Northern Ireland Executive has recently re-formed, and we will be discussing the arrangements for welfare reform there with the relevant Ministers.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will suspend the operation of the “bedroom tax” during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

baroness stedman-scott: As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Food Banks

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to ensure that established food banks have sufficient supplies to meet the needs in their localities during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

baroness stedman-scott: Food banks are independent charitable organisations and, as such, are best placed to decide on the most appropriate arrangements for supporting people who use them. As both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly. The Prime Minister and colleagues at DEFRA have recently addressed this issue in their daily briefings and statement.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Peat

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports that the voluntary target to reduce the use of peat in horticulture will not be met,what plans they have to legislate for a ban on the use of such peat.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is committed to phasing out the use of peat in horticulture in England by 2030. In 2011 we introduced a voluntary target for amateur gardeners to phase out the use of peat by 2020 and a final voluntary phase-out target of 2030 for professional growers of fruit, vegetables and plants. While some progress has been made, we stated in the 25 Year Environment Plan that we would consider implementing further measures if there is insufficient movement to peat alternatives by 2020. We will set out our plans around the use of peat in horticulture in due course. We are working with the industry to make the transition to peat alternatives and to overcome barriers to their use. This includes, for example, jointly funding research with the industry on peat replacements in professional horticulture.

Pesticides

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to changing (1) UK pesticide standards,in particular maximum residue levels, and (2) the UK's approach to authorising pesticides, in order to achieve future trade agreements.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The UK is proud of its world-leading food, health and animal welfare standards. We will not compromise on our standards nor put the UK’s biosecurity at risk as we negotiate new trade deals. Any trade agreements must respect the regulatory autonomy of both parties. Now that we have left the EU, the UK will operate an autonomous Sanitary and Phytosanitary regime, which covers the regulation of pesticides, to uphold our existing high standards. The UK Government and devolved administrations have assured stakeholders that we will maintain current standards of environmental and health protection. Our EU exit legislation has carried across unchanged all of the statutory requirements of the EU regime relating to standards of protection, maximum residue level and approval of active substances. We will continue to ensure that decisions on the use of pesticides are based on careful scientific assessment of the risks, with the aim of achieving a high level of protection for people and the environment. We will continue to draw on the considerable scientific and technical expertise of the Health and Safety Executive which will continue to operate as our expert national regulator on behalf of the UK Government and the devolved administrations. This puts the UK in a strong position in terms of having the necessary capacity and expertise to be able to take its own independent decisions after the transition period. There is a comprehensive Government programme of monitoring of pesticide residues in food, including imports, to determine whether food available to UK consumers complies with the statutory residue levels and is safe. The results of this monitoring are published following consideration by the Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food. We will not compromise on these standards in our trade negotiations.

Home Office

Hong Kong: British Nationality

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether granting hereditary British citizenship to Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Status holders would contravene the provisions of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration.

baroness williams of trafford: The status of BN(O)s was part of the delicate balance in negotiations that led to the Sino-British Joint Declaration. We continue to believe it would not be right to change the arrangements regarding this status, and that the best solution for Hong Kong and BN(O) passport holders is fully respect for the rights and freedoms set out in the Joint Declaration. Current nationality legislation sets out the provisions for individuals to apply for citizenship where they have no other nationality or have established connections with the UK through residence.

British Nationality: British Overseas Territories

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 February (HL1592), whether they intend to publish the details of any proposed resolution within (1) one month, (2) three months, (3) six months, or (4) one year.

baroness williams of trafford: This matter is still under consideration. Changes to nationality law could only be made by amending primary legislation, and we cannot provide a timescale.

Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 25 February (HL Deb, col 148) that they will publish an equality impact assessment for all Government bills, whether they have produced such an impact assessment for the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill; and if so, where it has been published.

baroness williams of trafford: The Policy Equality Impact Assessments for the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill were published on 5 March 2020 on the GOV.UK website following the introduction of the Bill into the House of Commons.Two Policy Equality Impact Assessments have been published: one on the immigration clauses and a separate one on the Social Security Co-ordination clause, where DWP is the lead department.The documents can be found at the following links:On immigration:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/870581/Policy-equality-impact-assessment-immigration.pdfOn social security co-ordinationhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/870582/Policy-equality-impact-assessment-social-security-co-ordination.pdf 



Equality Impact Assessment - Immigration 
(PDF Document, 234.87 KB)




Equality Impact Assessment - Social Security 
(PDF Document, 337.73 KB)

Cabinet Office

Local Government: Elections

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the consideration they have given to postponinglocal elections on 7 May, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic; and if so, what is their assessment of the last day on which a decision must be announced in order for any such postponement to take place.

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether local elections on 7 May could be postponed after the publication of the notices of election; and if so, what procedures would be required in order to do so.

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case forpreparing for the postponement of the local, mayoral, metro mayors and police and crime commissioners elections; and whether they have contingency plans for postal ballots.

lord true: Further to the Written Ministerial Statement HLWS169 which I laid on 19 March 2020, the Government has confirmed that the scheduled local, mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections that were due to take place on 7 May this year will be postponed until the next ordinary day of election on 6 May 2021.Other polls that had already been set for dates from 16 March 2020 and which arise over coming weeks and months will also be addressed in legislation being brought forward as part of the Coronavirus Bill.The decision was taken following advice from the Government’s medical experts in relation to the response to the Covid-19 virus and the advice of those delivering elections.

Brexit: Transitional Arrangements

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to bring forward the end date of the implementation period to 30 June in order to allow the UK to (1) regulate, or (2) deregulate, to facilitate the UK's economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord true: The transition period will end on 31 December 2020. This is enshrined in UK law. The UK will therefore fully recover its economic and political independence at the end of the year, which the British people voted for.The Chancellor has announced various measures to provide support to businesses and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the coronavirus. This includes unlimited loans and guarantees to support firms and help them manage cash flows through this period. The Chancellor will make available an initial £330 billion of guarantees - equivalent to 15% of UK GDP.Government departments are already taking many steps to ease regulations to support businesses and critical service provision doing this epidemic.

Voting Rights: British Nationals Abroad

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total number of UK citizens resident outside the UK (1) who are eligible to vote in UK parliamentary elections under the presentrule which bars British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from voting, and (2) who would be eligible following the extension of the right to vote to all adult UK citizens resident abroad.

lord true: Approximately 1.4 million British citizens living overseas have been registered to vote in the UK in the past 15 years and are therefore eligible to register to vote in UK parliamentary elections as overseas electors.There are no official statistics on the number of adult British citizens resident abroad. We estimate, however, that there are a total of 4.9 million British citizens overseas who have previously lived in the UK and are of voting age.The Government is considering the appropriate legislative vehicle to deliver votes for life, which is a manifesto commitment, and we will make an announcement on our intentions in due course.

Dual Nationality

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of UK citizens who are dual nationals; of those, how many are estimated to be living in the UK; and what are the ten countries estimated to host the largest numbers of UK citizens with dual nationality living abroad.

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the breakdown of UK citizens living abroad by their country of residence; and what estimate they have made of the proportion of UK citizens who hold dual nationalities.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.



UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 79.5 KB)

UK Relations with EU

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their draft legal text on the future relationship with the EU.

lord true: The UK and EU exchanged draft legal texts on 18 March 2020. Our overall approach to negotiations is already set out in detail in, “The Future Relationship with the EU: The UK’s Approach to Negotiations”, which was published on 27 February 2020. We will keep under review which documents it is appropriate to publish during the course of negotiations and whether it is useful to make them available more widely.

Treasury

Tourism: VAT

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce value added tax on services supplied to tourists.

lord agnew of oulton: VAT is an important source of revenue for the Exchequer, raising approximately £132 billion in 2018/2019. This plays an important part in funding the Government's spending priorities including hospitals, schools, and defence. Therefore, while all taxes are kept under review, there are currently no plans to reduce the rate of VAT on services supplied to tourists.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the net additional spending availablefor revenue and capital expenditure to the Northern Ireland Executive, excluding the money from the Confidence and Supply Arrangement of June 2017, following the Chancellor of Exchequer’s Budget statement on Wednesday 11 March.

lord agnew of oulton: As a result of UK Government decisions at this Budget, the Northern Ireland Executive’s Barnett-based resource budget will increase by over £70 million and its capital budget by over £130 million in 2020-21. This is on top of the £430 million of additional funding for 2020-21 provided at Spending Round 2019. All these additional Barnett consequentials are separate to the funding agreed by the Government in the financial annex to the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Digital Technology: Taxation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the amount of tax paid by Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft or Google.

lord agnew of oulton: While it would not be appropriate to comment on individual taxpayers, the Government has taken significant steps to ensure that multinational businesses, including those in the digital and tech sector, pay their fair share of tax in the UK. The Government used the UK’s Presidency of the G8 to initiate the OECD-G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project and has acted swiftly to implement the recommendations of that project in UK law, raising multiple billions in tax revenue for the Exchequer. The Government has also announced the introduction of a new digital services tax from April 2020. This is forecast to raise £2 billion over the next five years and will ensure that the UK tax paid by social media platforms, online marketplaces and search engines is reflective of their activities in the UK.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Huawei: 5G

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review Huawei's planned involvement in the UK's 5G network.

baroness barran: The Government conducted a comprehensive, evidence-based review into the telecoms supply chain, which was published in July 2019. The final conclusions of the Government’s Telecoms Supply Chain Review in relation to high risk vendors were announced on 28 January and provided the details of the additional steps it will be necessary to take to mitigate the risk from high risk vendors. This announcement made clear the Government’s intention to, over time, reduce our reliance on high risk vendors as market diversification takes place. We want to get to a position where we do not have to use a high risk vendor in our telecoms networks at all. The conclusions of the Review were based on security analysis from our world-leading cybersecurity experts, and took into account the full range of issues and risks.

Creative Europe

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with the UK’s creative industries about continued UK participation in the EU Creative Europe programme.

baroness barran: The government has made the decision not to seek participation in Creative Europe in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Prior to this decision, Ministers and officials engaged with relevant parts of industry and government-funded screen bodies including the British Film Institute.

Broadcasting: EU Law

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have madeof continued adherence in the UK to the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

baroness barran: Implementation of the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) is required as part of the United Kingdom’s Withdrawal Agreement. Under the terms of this agreement, the UK will implement EU law adopted while it was a Member State where the implementation date falls within the transition period. After the transition period, the transposed measures in the Directive will become retained EU law and continue to apply to citizens and companies in the UK. Furthermore, the government has made a statutory instrument, the Broadcasting (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, to correct deficiencies in broadcasting legislation as a result of leaving the EU and ensure that Ofcom continues to have effective oversight of broadcasting in the UK.

Music: Coronavirus

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they plan to provide to music studios during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: Last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced additional measures to support businesses and organisations that have been impacted by the pandemic. This includes the Government stepping in to help pay people’s wages – a scheme which is one of the most generous of any in the world – paying grants to support as many jobs as necessary. Any employer in the country who promises to retain their staff, can apply for a grant to cover most of the cost of paying people’s wages. Government grants will cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month, with this limit set well above the median income. The cost of wages will be backdated to 1st March and will be open for at least three months. The Government will consider extending the scheme for longer if necessary. We are also deferring the next three months of VAT, a direct injection of £33 billion of cash to employers which means no business will pay any VAT in March, April or May; and they will have until the end of the financial year to repay those bills. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will now be interest free for twelve months, an extension from the initial announcement of six months. We have already introduced and announced an extension to the Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which is for small and medium-sized businesses. On Tuesday, the Chancellor expanded the amount that can be borrowed from £1.2 million to £5 million.

Performing Arts: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance, if any, they planto provide to (1) musicians, and (2) actors, whoseworkhasbeen cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: The Chancellor has been clear on strengthening the safety-net for the self-employed and has announced a range of measures from which they will benefit. The next Income Tax Self-Assessment payments, due in July, will be deferred for that month. Self-employed individuals in temporary financial distress as a result of Covid-19 and who are unable to pay their tax on time or have existing liabilities are also eligible for Time to Pay. HMRC have set up a dedicated helpline to enable those eligible to get practical help and advice which can be reached by calling 0800 0159 559. Freelancers and the self-employed may also benefit through the welfare system, including the £1,000 per annum increase in the Universal Credit standard allowance, the equivalent increase in the basic rate of Working Tax Credit and the uprating of Local Housing Allowance. We are also temporarily relaxing the Minimum Income Floor for all self-employed Universal Credit claimants for the duration of the outbreak. This means a drop in earnings due to sickness or self-isolation or as a result of the economic impact of the outbreak will be reflected in claimants’ awards. Universal Credit can be claimed online or via phone, meaning self-employed claimants will not be required to attend the jobcentre for this. Additionally, self-employed people unable to work because they are directly affected by Covid-19 or self-isolating will also be eligible for Contributory Employment and Support Allowance. As announced at Budget, this is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth.

Arts: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to support those who workin the creative industries during the shutdown of theatres, cinemas and other venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to support individualswho work in theatres, cinemas, and other entertainment venues which do not have pandemic insurance cover.

baroness barran: Last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced additional measures to support businesses and organisations that have been impacted by the pandemic. This includes the Government stepping in to help pay people’s wages – a scheme which is one of the most generous of any in the world – paying grants to support as many jobs as necessary. Any employer in the country who promises to retain their staff, can apply for a grant to cover most of the cost of paying people’s wages. Government grants will cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month, with this limit set well above the median income. The cost of wages will be backdated to 1st March and will be open for at least three months. The Government will consider extending the scheme for longer if necessary. We are also deferring the next three months of VAT, a direct injection of £33 billion of cash to employers which means no business will pay any VAT in March, April or May; and they will have until the end of the financial year to repay those bills. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will now be interest free for twelve months, an extension from the initial announcement of six months. We have already introduced and announced an extension to the Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which is for small and medium-sized businesses. On Tuesday, the Chancellor expanded the amount that can be borrowed from £1.2 million to £5 million.